An attributional analysis of jurors' judgments in a criminal case: A preliminary investigation

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which attributional comple xity influences juror decision-making. Using Fletcher's (1986) attributiona l complexity scale, mock jurors (N=186), who were shown a videotape of a si mulated armed robbery, then rendered individual judgments on the case. The results showed that attributionally-simple subjects found the defendant gui lty more often both before and after presentation of the evidence, reported more confidence in their final decision, and attributed mr,re personal cau ses to the defendant's behavior. Attributionally-complex subjects, while no t excluding the role of internal causes, were more likely to consider exter nal causes as possible influences on the defendant's behavior. The findings demonstrate the existence of dear individual differences in attributional style and the potential importance of this variable for jury selection.